Greater Wellington region
The Greater Wellington region is far bigger than just Wellington City. The old Wellington Province used to cover much of the southern half of the North Island, including the Horowhenua, Manawatu, and Wanganui regions.
There are three other cities that are so close to Wellington that they effectively form a single large urban area; in population order they are:
The Kapiti Coast
Lower Hutt (sometimes erroneously called "Hutt City", after its local council's self-chosen name)
Porirua
Upper Hutt
The nearby Hutt Valley and Porirua have a number of interesting sights and beaches. Plimmerton, for example, has seen future world windsurfing champions training, and Edmund Hillary practised rock-climbing at Titahi Bay before conquering Everest.
The suburbs of Eastbourne and Days Bay are on the eastern side of Wellington Harbour. They can be reached by car, bus or ferry. There are a number of enjoyable hill walks in both Days Bay and Eastbourne . The East By West ferry service departs from Queens Wharf (Wellington) and travels to Days Bay Wharf, some services will stop on request at Somes Island (in the middle of the harbour), see route map . On weekends and public holidays the ferry also operates a harbour tour service which stops at Petone Wharf and Seatoun.
Further afield, the south Wairarapa has become one of New Zealand's wine growing regions. Tranzit run a train/bus wine tasting tour that leaves from Wellington Railway station each morning and visits four vineyards in the Wairarapa town of Martinborough, $115.
The Kapiti Coast as referred to as 'The Nature Coast' is a beautiful mix of beaches and lush native scenery. Spend the day at the beaches, near a river, or taking a walk through one of the many beautiful trails surrounding the hills and valleys bordering the coastline.
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The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Wellington
